Ministry is possibly the most important job a person could ever have. If you scroll through the latest reels on your favorite social media platform, you’ll likely come across videos of people in their worship buildings listening to a minister saying something seemingly profound but something that clearly misses the mark. Recently, I came across a video where the man ‘preaching’ said that people who believe God is in control are stupid. He went further and said the only thing that God controls is when He speaks His will through a believer. Another ‘preacher’, in our very own Tulsa, OK, described Jesus’ resurrection as “wack” & “raggedy” when speaking about adding excitement to it for their community Easter play. Another man ‘preaches’ that God saves people based on their tithes, and finally, a woman ‘preaches’ that saying, “Brrrr!” as you’re being baptized with the Holy Spirit is an act of obedience.
Anyone who studies the Scriptures may recognize these examples as inconsistent with the Word of God. However, many people are led astray by people teaching absurd things. People should be working out their salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2), yet tend to trust those who have been put in positions of leadership, especially those who claim to preach the word of God. Unfortunately, not all ministers have the proper fear of God, let alone the care to guide others to salvation. This leads them to teach opinions or just blatant lies. If this is the case, then what is the duty of a minister?
In Jack Meyer’s book, The Preacher and His Work, he highlights many things a minister is, and I would like to bring out two of his points:
1: A true minister fears God. He knows his main objective is to preach the truth and nothing else. He is a full-time student of the Word of God. His only authority is the Bible and his goal to be immersed in the Scriptures to bring those around him the correct information found there-in as it is properly understood.
2: A true minister should be a specialist in their field by rightly handling the word of God. Although his employment falls under an eldership, a specialist in God’s word will not compromise God’s truth for an eldership or community. By sticking to the truth, he stimulates elder & congregational knowledge, congregational growth, and personal Kingdom work within the community. He also helps to train and develop leaders and speakers.
A minister does not preach for his own glory, but to bring glory to the Most High. They are not to rely on their own understanding for truth, but instead should search the Scriptures for it. They should not preach on what they don’t understand for when they do, they ask others to put their faith in men instead of God; leading those who blindly listen to choose men as their way to salvation instead of Jesus, which keeps them separated from God. Pay attention to those who preach, always checking them against the word of God.